Registrations for TD Ameritrade Institutional’s 2012 National Conference are up from last year, says Tom Bradley, the firm's institutional president, helped by the presence of some high-profile speakers like Vice President Dick Cheney and former head of the FDIC Sheila Bair.

Zvi Bodie has long been a lone wolf in the financial services industry. The Boston University finance professor and veteran risk avoidance advocate, has himself risked being pelted with eggs, or worse.

A new white paper released by investment manager Cohen & Steers on Monday maintains that dividend oriented companies are "strongly positioned to continue raising pay-outs and deliver solid returns." The report also says these companies are “trading at attractive prices and offer great upside potential.”